Business and Industry: A Great Partnership
Based on an Effective Model
Great Falls business, academic and community leaders have begun meeting to forge a unified approach to workforce development based on a model developed in Kalispell.
In Kalispell the school district and Flathead Valley Community College in cooperation with the chamber of commerce have been working since 1999 and have written curriculum that makes it possible for students to get college credit and in some cases college degrees and industry certifications in areas of critical workforce need.
Thirteen Great Falls leaders traveled to Kalispell for a day-long Nov. 16 session to learn how they did it.
Among those on the trip were Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce President Jim Strauss, who is publisher of the Great Falls Tribune, chamber executive Teresa Olds, Economic Development Authority CEO Brett Doney, EDA grants writer Kim Thiel-Schaaf, Great Falls Public Schools Superintendent Cheryl Crawley, assistant superintendent 7-12 Tom Moore, the district’s workforce development facilitator Tom Kotynski, Great Falls School Board member Steve Erwin, MSU-Great Falls College of Technology associate associate deans Judy Hay, Heidi Pasek and Joe Schaffer, and Great Falls Education Association President Mike Picking.
Staff from the Kalispell school district, community college and chamber presented on a wide range of topics including the development of Career Cluster pathways, the business/school partnership, the freshman academy, specific courses, and the partnership with the community college. There were also tours of the new Glacier High School, which is a result of the collaboration, and the refurbished Flathead Valley Community College.
Meetings have already been held in Great Falls between all the parties and three subcommittees have been created to address topics raised in Kalispell. One is exploring curriculum opportunities and better coordination of classes between the school district and MSU-COT. The second is looking at workforce issues. The third subcommittee will look at student success rates at two and four year colleges and how to share career information more effectively.
Involvement in the effort is expected to grow with the inclusion of the University of Great Falls and MSU-Northern representatives, and participation possibly from regional public and private schools.
The Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce has made education one of its top priorities.
It was noted at an early meeting that it took Kalispell 10 years to develop its model.
“Great Falls doesn’t have 10 years,” said Mike Picking, the teachers union president.
---- By Tom Kotynski, Great Falls Public School District workforce development facilitator
See these Great Falls Tribune articles for more information:
Great Falls Leaders Look to Coordinate Education Efforts 12.8.07
Workforce Development Group Begins Groundwork on Project 12.12.07
Development Goes Beyond Business to Workforce 12.23.07
